Black Down, Dorset
| Black Down | |
|---|---|
Black Down and the Hardy Monument | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 242 m (794 ft) |
| Prominence | 78 m (256 ft) |
| Parent peak | Lewesdon Hill |
| Listing | Tump (hill) |
| Coordinates | 50°41′13″N 2°33′04″W / 50.687°N 2.551°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Dorset, England |
| Parent range | South Dorset Downs |
| OS grid | SY611876 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 194 |
Black Down is a hill on the South Dorset Ridgeway about 1.2 miles (2 km) north-northeast of the village of Portesham in the county of Dorset, England and around 3.1 miles (5 km) from the coast.
The treeless summit of Black Down is a popular viewing point, crowned by the 72 foot (22 m) high Hardy Monument built in 1844 in memory of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy who was Admiral Nelson's Flag Captain at the Battle of Trafalgar.
From the top there are views of the Fleet and Chesil Beach as well as the South Dorset Downs. On a fine day The Needles may be visible, some 50 miles away.
The site is owned by the National Trust.
The heathland area around the monument was in 1984 designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, when the Nature Conservancy Council decided that the geology of the area was very rare.